Namewise

Katy vs Tara

Katy and Taracompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2020, Katy was ranked #700 and Tara #145 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2019, Katy was ranked #298 and Tara #298 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Katy was ranked #4192 and Tara #547 among girls in England and Wales.

Katy and Tara over time

Katy and Tara appear together in 3 published lists, across 79 years of shared records. Tara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Katy in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Tara reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Katy in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Katy and Tara changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2024, ending at #4192 and #547.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Katy and Tara were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 30 years, from 1982 to 2020, ending at #700 and #145.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Katy #111 in 1996, Tara #110 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #111 and #110 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2024 they were #4192 and #547.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls30 shared years, 19822020

    Katy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Tara in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Katy #254 in 1999, Tara #27 in 1987.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Katy #700, Tara #145.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 19962024

    Katy held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Tara in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Katy #111 in 1996, Tara #110 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Katy #4192, Tara #547.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls20 shared years, 19972019

    Katy held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Tara in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Katy #132 in 2001, Tara #45 in 2000.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2019: Katy #298, Tara #298.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Katy, Tara
FieldKatyTara
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #4192 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Girls #166 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Katy and Tara both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Katy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1982

    First recorded at #399 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #111 among girls in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Girls

Tara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #327 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1983–2007

    Highest recorded position: #20 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1983–2007).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #300 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls